


"Are We There Yet?"

by DiNozzos_Probie



Category: NCIS
Genre: Family; Holiday; Romance; Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 11:41:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5162573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiNozzos_Probie/pseuds/DiNozzos_Probie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Author's Note: Originally written for "Tibbs Yuletide 2013" on Live Journal. This story is a companion piece to "Five Years On" and takes place one year later. If you haven't read it, you might find yourself wondering what the heck is going on and who the hell is Ryan? Allow me to take a moment to get you up to speed:</p><p>Gibbs and Tony are married and have an adopted son named Dominic Jackson. DJ's biological mother is Maddie Tyler, though neither Tony nor Gibbs is the biological father. Vance had to retire for medical reasons, so Gibbs became NCIS Director, Tony the MCRT Team Leader, McGee his SFA, Ziva is the Junior Agent, and Ryan Thibodeaux is the new "Probie" on the team. He's a good Southern boy born and raised in Alabama and he also happens to be Abby's boyfriend. McGee and Ziva are engaged. Jackson sold his house and the store in Stillwater and bought a small house a couple of blocks from Gibbs and Tony. Senior and Tony have been working on rebuilding their father/son relationship and they have gotten closer under the watchful eyes of Gibbs, Jackson, and Ducky.</p><p>Disclaimer: I only own DJ and Ryan, and I'm just borrowing the rest of the gang for some wintertime fun! No copyright infringement is intended.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Are We There Yet?"

Gibbs could feel a monster headache building as he carefully navigated the snow-covered winding mountain roads. The fully appointed gun metal gray Dodge Durango he and Tony had bought in anticipation of their wintertime road trip was locked into 4-wheel drive and easily managed the two inches of snow already covering the road. Gibbs was relieved to see big orange Penn DOT snowplows out in force doing their best to keep I-95 clear and salted.

The SUV had more bells and whistles than Gibbs thought necessary, but as usual he caved in to Tony's wishes. Besides, he thought it was only fair since Tony was willing to sacrifice his beloved truck, a truck which held many fond memories of date nights and a few lust-filled encounters early on in their relationship. It also didn't hurt that it was a Dodge, and Gibbs was most definitely a MOPAR man.

Tony turned on his considerable charm to talk the salesman into not only giving him top dollar for his truck in trade while knocking the Durango's price down almost to dealer invoice, but he also got him to throw in both the interior and exterior protection packages for free. Despite Tony's almost criminal skill at horse trading, Gibbs was still stunned by the final price tag, which thankfully did include tax, title, and license, and only agreed to sign on the dotted line after being lovingly reminded that performance and luxury came at a price.

It had been snowing lightly but steadily for the last hour and a major winter storm was predicted for the mountains later that afternoon and through the night. Already behind schedule due to an early morning emergency briefing in MTAC, stops for gas, coffee, snacks, numerous potty breaks, and one "Ima frow up, Daddy" false alarm, Gibbs gripped the steering wheel tighter and sped up slightly, mindful of the precious cargo secured in the back seat.

Dominic Jackson DiNozzo-Gibbs was living up to his reputation as being the most incorrigible child ever conceived, at least in Ducky's learned though affectionate estimation. Having just turned three years old, "DJ" was not only the center of his two dads' world but he was adored by everyone who had been a part of his life since birth, and he damn well knew it. He had figured out very early on who he could manipulate and bend to his will and took advantage of it at every opportunity. DJ's number one mark was Tony, of course, who didn't possess Gibbs' unwavering discipline when it came to putting his foot down and firmly saying "no" when necessary. Jackson declared his grandson to be "spoiled damn near rotten," but he couldn't really talk since he was just as guilty as Tony.

Between repeatedly begging for snacks, insisting he needed to "go pee pee" at regular intervals, and asking "Aw we dare yet?" every ten miles or ten minutes, whichever came first, Gibbs feared that at any moment Tony might actually reach his limit and bail out of the moving vehicle. DJ was not one for long car rides, and quite frankly he was bored. Sitting still for more than five minutes was a foreign concept and being securely restrained in his car seat was not helping DJ's mood one bit, nor that of his dads.

Gibbs had it easy handling the driving, leaving Tony with the unenviable if not impossible task of keeping their high-energy son entertained during the four hour journey. He had to admit being a bit envious of Tony's ability to stay calm and keep smiling as he handled each toddler demand with grace and without ever raising his voice in frustration or anger. Gibbs knew that Tony was determined not to repeat Senior's mistakes when it came to raising their son. Tony had confessed to him on more than one occasion that Senior's hurtful and hateful words when he was a kid stung more than any spanking he received for the slightest offense.

Wanting to be prepared for any contingency, Tony had planned ahead and packed a cooler filled with juice boxes and various snacks as well as a large gym bag stuffed with DJ's most treasured toys, stuffed animals, and a few of his prized DVDs. DJ's video collection was growing fast and now took up an entire shelf in the entertainment center next to Tony's.

As much as he cherished family time, Gibbs' patience was quickly nearing its end. Half an hour – tops – and he would finally be able to escape the confines of the vehicle to hopefully find a few moments of peace and quiet among the giant pine trees at their destination. It was his considered opinion that no man should be locked in a car and subjected to a toddler singing along with a "Wiggles" video at the top of his little lungs, in some unidentifiable key, for twenty uninterrupted minutes. It was tantamount to torture and sounded too much like the ear-splitting noise of Abby's new "Brain Matter Greatest Hits" CD for his liking.

It didn't take well-honed investigative skills to see that Gibbs was running out of patience, so Tony took pity on him and convinced DJ to let him pop a "Schoolhouse Rock" DVD into the player. DJ nodded enthusiastically and clapped his hands gleefully as the "Grammar Rock" series began to play.

"Daddy and Daddy sing wif me?" DJ pled hopefully in an angelic tone. After exchanging chuckles and eye rolls with Tony, Gibbs mouthed a heartfelt "Thank you" then beamed at DJ in the rearview mirror and started singing along.

They managed to get through "Conjunction Junction" before DJ suddenly got quiet. Tony turned and wedged himself between the front seats to check on him and found him fast asleep with his favorite blanket hugged tightly in his little arms. He smiled at their sleeping son and turned down the volume on the portable DVD player strapped to the back of Gibbs' seat. He let out a relieved sigh as he dropped back into his seat before turning his head towards Gibbs and smiling warmly.

"He's out like a light – thank God."

Gibbs shook his head ruefully and snorted.  "Well that figures. We'll be there in ten minutes," he said with a chuckle as he reached over and squeezed Tony's hand.

"Could have been worse, you know, the drive up here? I mean, can you imagine being packed in McGee's car with Ducky telling stories for four whole hours?" Tony shuddered dramatically at the thought. He then turned his attention to looking for the tell-tale blue reflectors marking the turnoff onto a long and winding private drive through the tall pines.

"Wow, Dad wasn't kidding about this place," Tony exclaimed when the Durango rolled to a stop a short while later behind Tim's dark blue Ford Explorer on the crushed stone driveway in front of the house.

The chalet was situated on five acres surrounded by snow covered pine and fir trees as far as the eye could see in a secluded private development in Pocono Pines. The setting was breathtakingly spectacular like the quintessential winter wonderland often depicted on Hallmark Christmas cards. Smoke billowed from the massive stone chimney filling the chilly air with the distinct scent of a wood burning fire.

Senior had purchased the chalet ostensibly as an investment for year-round rental, commanding upward of $3,000 per week during peak vacation times. He spent a small fortune on remodeling to turn the house into a veritable showplace, and used it to woo business associates, prospective clients, and on occasion to seduce beautiful women. As much as he wanted to spend a long weekend relaxing with his new-found family, a last minute business opportunity required him to travel to London for a week of meetings with potential investors.

"Nope. Not bad at all," Gibbs mumbled appreciatively as he squinted out the windshield and took in the grandeur of the chalet where they would be spending the long holiday weekend with their extended family.

As NCIS Director, Gibbs had never shown favoritism when it came to holiday rotations among his investigative teams. The MCRT had been on call Thanksgiving Day and ended up with a case that kept them at the office or running down leads for the better part of two weeks. Another case was dropped in their laps on Christmas Eve just as Tony and Gibbs finished tucking DJ in after the traditional reading of "T'was the Night Before Christmas." DJ was heartbroken that Tony wasn't home Christmas morning. Tony called several times during the day and did his best to cheer him up, but it just wasn't the same.

What started out as a possible child abduction thankfully turned out to be a case of custodial interference in a bitter divorce and custody fight. Tony managed to successfully mediate the visitation dispute so no charges were filed. He used his own story of being torn away from his young son at Christmas to persuade the parents to put their petty differences aside, if only for this one day, for the sake of their five-year old daughter's happiness at Christmas.

Tony made it home just as Gibbs, Jackson, DJ, and Senior, who had dropped in unexpectedly that afternoon, were finishing dinner. DJ beamed when Tony appeared in the doorway then jumped down from his booster seat and ran to him.

"Yay, Daddy home! Mewwy Keesmas, Daddy," DJ exclaimed as Tony picked him up and hugged him tight.

"Merry Christmas! Daddy missed you today," Tony murmured into his son's hair. He looked up and smiled at the three men still seated at the table. "And a Merry Christmas to all of you."

The team was already scheduled to be off for New Year's so Gibbs threw in a couple of extra days off to make up for the missed holiday time. He had left Cynthia with strict instructions to only call him in case of a dire emergency. Short of a terrorist attack he did not want to be interrupted. Rick Balboa was put in charge to oversee all investigations in his absence, and Assistant Director Myers was in town and only a phone call away. Ducky, Palmer, and Abby had worked overtime with three teams having active cases, so they were given the extra time off as well. Palmer opted to stay in D.C. to make up for lost time with Fornell, and to spend time with Emily.

Just as Tony and Gibbs opened their car doors, Abby appeared on the front porch decked out as a Goth version of a ski bunny. How she found a black down coat with silver and red bats on it was anyone's guess. Naturally, she had the matching snow pants, scarf, ear muffs, and mittens to complete the ensemble.

Tony barely had a softly snoring DJ out of his car seat when Auntie Abby bound over with her arms out ready to snatch him away. Keeping his beloved son bundled against the cold and snow Tony held him close and whispered, "Sorry Abs, but he just fell asleep a few minutes ago. Can you grab his bag of stuff then help me put him down?"

Abby tried her best not to pout. "Aw sure, but I get dibs on him when he wakes up," she whispered in a tone not allowing for any debate on the matter. She grabbed DJ's bag of toys and closed the car door then tugged on Tony's arm. "C'mon, you are gonna love this place! Your dad is so freaking awesome!"

Abby wiped her feet then opened the front door for Tony, who kicked as much snow as he could from his Timberland boots before stepping inside. The small quarry-tiled entryway served as a mud room and was perfect for shedding snow-covered boots, which were lined up on mats against the wall to the left next to a solid oak hall tree with a built-in bench. On the wall to the right were plenty of hooks for hanging up coats.

"Hey Tony! Go on in. We'll help Gibbs bring your stuff in," Tim offered as he laced up his boots. He and Ryan then shrugged into their coats and headed out the door. The skies had opened up and the snow was falling heavily by the time they reached Gibbs unloading the back of the Durango.

Tony gently shifted DJ from one hip to the other as Abby helped him out of his coat and boots before leading him through a set of oak French doors. The second he stepped into the main living room Tony was struck speechless. The log-sided house may have looked rustic and charming on the outside, but the interior was anything but. With its open floor plan, vaulted ceilings with dozens of dimmable pot lots, richly finished plank hardwood floors, and walls painted in warm neutral earthy tones, it was simply breathtaking. A winding carpeted staircase replete with a hand-carved oak bannister rose in a sweeping curve up to the second floor to the five large bedroom suites. What caught Tony's attention were the giant thermal-paned windows stretching almost from floor to ceiling that allowed for an unencumbered view to the west as far as they eye could see.

The focal point of the room was a massive flagstone wood-burning fireplace centered between rich walnut built-in shelves spanning the entire north wall. Dozens if not hundreds of books filled the shelves. Facing the fireplace was an oversized dark brown leather reclining sofa with matching loveseats placed adjacent on each side. A large, round, hand-crafted table sat on a black and tan rug creating a unique but cozy grouping. Pairs of easy chairs in coordinating colors were scattered strategically throughout the room creating more intimate settings for quiet private conversations.

Off to the left was an open gourmet kitchen appointed with rich maple cabinetry, dark granite countertops, and top of the line appliances. A country-style kitchen table with seating for six was nestled in a bump out in front of a large bay window for casual dining and a larger formal dining area completed the main floor layout. A combination utility room and 3/4 bath was tucked away off of the kitchen at the south end of the house.

Tony grinned at the sight of Jackson and Ducky working in tandem preparing dinner. Ducky was telling some long-winded story as he skillfully wielded a meat cleaver, while Jackson, in true Gibbs fashion, grunted and "uh huh'd" every few minutes as if hanging on his every word while chopping a variety of peppers, onions, carrots, and broccoli. Ziva was perched on one of the half dozen bar stools lining the long island/breakfast bar, peeling potatoes and sipping from a steaming mug of green tea. If the mouth-watering aromas wafting toward him were any indication, whatever was on that night's menu was bound to be delicious. Tony's stomach growled appreciatively in anticipation.

"Jesus Abs, this place is amazing," Tony whispered in her ear. He smiled a moment later when he caught sight of an empty-handed Gibbs following Tim and Ryan, who were loaded down with their bags, toward the stairs. He chuckled as Ryan rambled on in his southern drawl about feeling like a pack mule, earning a smirk and a wink from Gibbs.

"Here, let me put a blanket down for Little Dude. He looks wiped out," Abby stated as DJ dozed in Tony's arms despite all the clanging of pots and pans.

Once DJ was settled in for his nap, Tony and Abby walked over to the kitchen. "Hey everyone," Tony greeted, effectively startling the trio of sous-chefs.

Ducky spun around holding the cleaver firmly in one hand and what remained of a chicken in the other. "Ah, Anthony! Good to see you my boy! Where are Jethro and Master Dominic?"

While Tony was getting the breath squeezed out of him by Jackson, Gibbs appeared and announced, "I'm right here, Duck. The kid's asleep." He thumbed over to where the crashed out toddler lay safely away from both the roaring fire and potentially drafty windows.

Tim and Ryan made a second trip outside to bring in several grocery bags then joined the group gathered in the kitchen. Abby played hostess and made sure that everyone had their beverage of choice: Coffee for the Gibbs men, beer for Tim and Ryan, and chardonnay for her and Tony. Ducky, ever the Scottish gentleman, freshened up Ziva's tea.

Tony and Gibbs put the groceries they had brought with them away then decided to take a few minutes to explore the house. Taking Tony by the hand, Gibbs tugged him toward the stairs. Tony peeked into each tastefully decorated bedroom as they made their way to their assigned room at the far end of the long hallway. He was barely across the threshold when Gibbs pushed the door shut then spun him around and pulled him into a long, slow, deep kiss. Tony moaned deepening the kiss even further until both men were breathless.

When they finally parted, Gibbs gently ran the pad of this thumb over Tony's kiss bruised bottom lip and declared breathlessly, "God, I have wanted to do that since we left home. I've wanted to get you alone all day."

Tony's arms rested on Gibbs' shoulders leaving his fingers free to card through the short silky hair. "I don't know how much alone time we're gonna get with a house full of our nearest and dearest," Tony replied mournfully.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and pulled him close as their hardening cocks began to strain against their denim prisons. Tony could only hold on as Gibbs feasted on his neck while purring, "I promise (kiss) that after DJ goes to bed (kiss, kiss), you and me (nibble, nibble) can take a nice (kiss) long (nibble) hot shower."

Tony groaned in a mix of anticipation and relief. The last few weeks had taken their toll with the team putting in horrendous hours, and more nights than not they had to settle for a little making out and the occasional hand job or blow job. In Tony's estimation, it had been too damn long since he had been driven to the edge of insanity and he longed for the feel of Gibbs' cock filling him. He wanted nothing more than to drop his pants and have Gibbs take him right then and there, but the chance of getting caught in the act was too great.

Dinner was a lively affair eaten in the formal dining room across from the kitchen. Dishes were carefully passed around the table, everyone mindful to keep them held high enough to prevent greedy little toddler hands from blindly snatching food as they paraded by. DJ was the one person to whom Ducky would never have to lecture on the benefits of eating his vegetables. There were few foods he refused to eat: Beets, lima beans, and, thanks mostly to Gibbs' flat out refusal to eat them, peas topped the list. Everything else was fair game, though the jury was still out on most seafood. Now that he had learned to manage well enough with his own toddler-sized eating utensils, he was pretty much over his double, bare-fisted eating style.

After the teriyaki beef stir-fry and rice, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, winter squash, and warm homemade bread slathered with Jackson's famous blackberry preserves were devoured, Ducky and Jackson were ordered to sit and relax while the rest of the group cleaned up. DJ chose his Grandpa Doc's lap for some post-dinner cuddling and conversation, and Ducky couldn't have felt more honored.

The rest of the evening was spent gathered around the dwindling fire talking and generally unwinding for the first time in weeks. The wine served with dinner kicked in and it wasn't long before yawns became contagious and good nights were exchanged.

* * *

 Reaching their room Gibbs slowly opened the door hoping the hinges would not creak and wake DJ. His "Unca Pwobie" had carried him up and tucked him in an hour earlier, and he was out like a light. Tony was about to lean over and kiss DJ's forehead, but Gibbs grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back against his chest.

"Did you forget that we have a date with the shower?" Gibbs purred seductively.

"God no! You start the shower and I'll grab our jammies," Tony purred back.

When Tony entered the bathroom he found it awash in candle light. Gibbs was standing in the middle of the room wearing nothing but a seriously tented fluffy white towel. Tony absently tossed their pajamas onto the vanity and sauntered over while slowly stripping out of his shirt until he stood bare-chested in front of the man he loved.

Before Tony could speak, Gibbs pulled him in for a patented knee-weakening kiss. He held Tony in place and kissed him senseless before tearing his lips away and feasting on his neck. All Tony could do was hold on for dear life as his senses were overwhelmed and his legs turned to rubber.

"Jethro, the shower...," Tony panted as his erection strained painfully against the zipper of his jeans.

"Gonna take my time stretching you. Been too damn long," Gibbs said breathlessly as he slowly lowered Tony's zipper, earning an appreciative moan as the pressure eased.

Gibbs made short work of removing the rest of Tony's clothes then dropped his towel. He turned and picked up the tube of lube he had stashed in his shaving kit and covered his fingers with a generous amount. Tony braced himself against the marble-topped vanity and widened his stance to give Gibbs better access. He had to stifle a groan as Gibbs' index finger breached his opening and eased its way inside. It had been too long and Tony couldn't stop himself from trying to hurry the process along by moaning and begging. Gibbs knew just the right angle and easily found the tiny protrusion of Tony's prostate and tagged it repeatedly. Another finger was added, then two fingers soon became three until Tony felt like he was about to lose his mind.

"No more, please. Jethro, you're gonna make me cum, and I wanna wait until you're inside me. Please Jethro," Tony begged even as he continued to fuck himself on Gibbs' fingers.

Spurred on by the erotic request, Gibbs skillfully finished stretching Tony until he was a whimpering bundle of need. Satisfied that he was well prepared, Gibbs turned on the shower and pulled Tony inside and under the spray. Tender kisses were traded until Tony threw his head back and moaned, "God Jethro, please. I want you inside me, now!"

Gibbs spun Tony around, and one glance down at his twitching glistening hole was nearly his undoing. He lined up and carefully slipped inside before pulling back and slowly thrusting forward until inch by inch his cock completely disappeared. Gibbs stilled for a moment reveling in the physical closeness, not wanting to cum too soon and to give Tony time to adjust.

Tony's panted "I'm ready" a mere moment later was all Gibbs needed to hear. He pulled almost all the way out then slowly slid back in again. It started out slow and tender with long strokes until their mutual desire flared like an out of control wildfire. Soft moans of ecstasy and the slapping of skin on skin nearly drowned out the sound of the water raining down on them as they raced full speed toward completion.

Tony gasped as his orgasm snuck up on him and he painted the tiled wall with his release without Gibbs ever touching his cock. His head fell back onto Gibbs' shoulder as his body seized up due to the indescribable pleasure coursing through him. Gibbs followed soon after as Tony's internal muscles contracted around his over-sensitized cock. He buried himself deep and bit down on Tony's shoulder to stifle a scream as he came hard with lights exploding behind his eyelids.

Tony turned in Gibbs' arms and they held on to each other as they slowly came back to their senses. A few gentle kisses were exchanged as they finished showering until the water took on a decided chill. Gibbs stepped out and picked up his previously discarded towel and tossed one over the shower door to Tony.

After quickly drying, they pulled on matching thin flannel pajama pants and long-sleeved t-shirts. Tony smirked at Gibbs around his toothbrush before spitting and rinsing earning an endearing wink. A few moments later they fell into bed and into their normal sleeping position with Tony snuggled up to Gibbs' side with his right hand resting over his heart.

"I've really missed you, Jethro," Tony muttered softly, in a tone tinged with love, regret and longing.

Gibbs wrapped his arms even tighter around Tony and kissed the top of his head. "I know. Missed you too. Love you, Tony," Gibbs murmured into slightly damp baby soft hair. All he got was a soft snore in response. Chuckling to himself, Gibbs soon followed Tony into sleep.

* * *

 Tony was startled awake and cracked an eye open to see a footie-jammied DJ climbing out of bed and toddling over to the partially open bedroom door where Abby stood waving him over. He finger waved at Abby then closed his eyes and feigned sleep when he heard DJ's attempt at whispering as he tip-toed out of the room rambling on about Coco Puffs.

At some point during the night, Tony had turned onto his right side and Gibbs automatically followed so that he was spooned up against Tony's back. Tony melted back into Gibbs' embrace and attempted to go back to sleep, but it was no use. He managed to free himself after a few minutes and roll out of bed without causing Gibbs to do more than mumble incoherently then grab his abandoned pillow to cuddle. After a quick stop to use the head and splash some water on his face, Tony pulled on his worn but comfy green terrycloth robe and a thick pair of socks. He smiled at Gibbs sleeping peacefully with his pillow hugged tightly and decided to head downstairs to make sure plenty of coffee was brewing.

He greeted a sleepy looking Tim shuffling down the hall and together they padded down the stairs. Glancing at the clock, Tony was surprised to see that it was only 6:00. Tony ruffled DJ's hair on his way over to the coffee maker where several large mugs had been set out. Once his coffee was properly doctored with hazelnut creamer, Tony walked over and leaned on the breakfast bar next to where DJ was busy shoveling loaded spoonsful of his beloved Coco Puffs into his mouth. Milk ran down his chin leaving a small puddle on the countertop.

"Good morning, Tony. Did you sleep well?" Abby chirped behind a mischievous smirk. "I gotta say, you and Gibbs look so cute cuddled up together. Sorry if we woke you. I just thought I'd see if Little Dude here was ready for breakfast."

DJ looked up from his bowl and chimed in with a mumbled, "Goo mownin, Dabby."

Tony cocked his head and blinked at his son as a few stray Cocoa Puffs fell out of his full mouth.

"Good morning, buddy. Chew, swallow, then talk," he instructed using his best Gibbs voice. "S'ok, Abs. Thought I should make sure coffee was ready. You know how he is if he doesn't get coffee first thing."

"Yeah, and that's why I made it really strong. Gibbs without coffee is scary, but I'm sure you know that better than anyone! Oh, and I set everyone's alarm clocks so no one gets to sleep past seven. We have a whole day of fun in the snow planned," Abby announced cheerfully.

"Yay! I wantsa pway in da snow," DJ replied excitedly, waving his arms around and accidentally flinging a spoonful of cereal at Tony in the process.

"Dominic Jackson," Tony scolded firmly but softly as he grabbed a nearby roll of paper towels to clean up the mess.

"I sawwy Daddy," DJ said with a pout, his lower lip trembling.

Tony wiped up the mess then kissed the top of DJ's head. "It's okay, bud. Daddy cleaned it up. Just - finish your Cocoa Puffs, okay?" DJ smiled, nodded, and loaded up another spoonful.

Tim emerged from the small bathroom off of the kitchen letting out a jaw cracking yawn. He filled a mug with coffee and took a tentative sip. Over the years he had learned to drink it black, but he nearly gagged at the strong bitter taste. Flashing a glare at Abby, he stirred a copious amount of Tony's hazelnut creamer into his mug and took it out to the living room. He turned on the 60-inch flat-screen TV above the fireplace and scrolled through the on-screen menu until he found The Weather Channel.

"Wow! They're saying we got six inches of snow last night with another eight to ten more expected today. Good thing we all drove up here yesterday. They're gonna be closing the roads. Don't think you guys are going skiing," he reported offering a commiserating frown.

DJ dropped his spoon into his mostly empty bowl and hopped down off his bar stool and toddled over to the big windows. "Ooooh! Daddy, Auntie, and Unca Pwobie! Wookie," he shouted, jumping up and down with excitement as heavy snow continued to fall.

"What's with all the racket down here," Jackson called out as he slowly descended the stairs, winking at Abby who waved and beamed back at him. Reaching the bottom he nearly stumbled over DJ who had rushed over to greet him.

DJ grabbed his grandpa's rough calloused hand and tugged with all his might. "Paka, wookie! We gitsa pway in da snow!" Jackson chuckled and allowed DJ to tug him across the room.

Not even a minute later, Tony felt strong arms circle his waist as Gibbs stealthily moved in behind him. "Good morning Tony," he whispered before placing a kiss under Tony's right ear.

Tony turned and beamed at Gibbs then favored him with a peck on the lips. "Good morning sleepy head. C'mon, there's a fresh pot of coffee waiting for you."

Gibbs was working on his second cup when Ziva, Ducky, and Ryan finally appeared in the kitchen wondering what all the excitement was about. Ryan raced over to the coffee pot to find it nearly empty. He rolled his eyes at Gibbs' unapologetic shrug then started a fresh pot. Ducky chuckled as he prepared two mugs of Earl Grey breakfast tea, one for himself, and one for Ziva.

* * *

 By 9:00 those brave enough to wander out were bundled up against the cold and snow. Abby couldn't resist taking a picture of DJ, who looked like a miniature astronaut in his thick down snowsuit. It took some effort to bundle him up in thermal underwear, jeans, and a wool sweater before zipping him in to the snowsuit. He had a knit stocking cap and a long woven scarf on underneath the hood, two layers of nylon covered mittens on his hands, and snow boots over two pairs of thick wool socks.

Ryan joked that he looked like the Michelin Man causing DJ to narrow his eyes and direct an ominous glare at him.

Tim snorted out a laugh. "Uh oh, I know that look, Ryan. You better watch your back out there."

Not willing to be threatened by a small child Ryan snorted back, "I ain't never been around a little pup I couldn't handle."

Gibbs scooped DJ up with one arm and headed toward the door. He smirked at Ryan as they passed and said warningly, "He's not kidding."

The original plan had been for Gibbs and Tim to take DJ sledding down the massive hill behind the chalet while Tony, Ziva, Abby, and Ryan went skiing at the main resort 10 miles away, but due to the excessive snowfall a mountain travel warning had been issued. Ziva had unexpectedly declined the initial invitation to go skiing, and to everyone's surprise she also opted to forego sledding, electing instead to stay inside with Ducky and Jackson.

Tony and Tim were the last ones out the front door, and upon reaching the porch steps Tony pulled Tim back and demanded, "Okay, McGee, spill. What's up with Ziva?"

Tim had a hard time maintaining eye contact and stammered, "Uh, whadya mean, Tony?"

Tony rolled his eyes and glared before barking, "Don't bullshit me, Probie! Something is going on. Ziva not wanting to go skiing or even sledding? That's crazy! She lives for that stuff. And what the hell is with all the green freaking tea lately? She hardly eats anything and didn't have any wine with dinner, and now she's suddenly Martha Stewart hanging out in the kitchen baking cookies? No way McGee, I'm not buying it."

Tim sighed. "Okay look. I can't tell you right now. It's complicated, but I promise it's nothing bad."

Tony narrowed his eyes before relenting with a sigh of his own. Tim and Ziva had both been uncharacteristically guarded lately so he decided not to push. "Okay, but I'm holding you to that. Later we talk. All right, c'mon then, I'm gonna push your sorry ass down this freaking hill," Tony declared playfully before jumping off the steps and landing in a three-foot deep snow drift.

"Bullshit, DiNozzo! I'll race you," Tim countered before taking off and grabbing one of the toboggans leaning up against the wall of a large storage shed twenty yards from the house.

The trio of Gibbs, Abby, and DJ were already coasting down the hill at a fairly good clip when suddenly Tony and Tim whizzed by them side by side, both hooting and hollering as the sped down the hill. Abby had to tighten her hold on DJ to keep him from trying to stand up to see where his daddy was going as the two sleds disappeared from view.

Ryan stood at the top of the hill and doubled over with laughter at the horrified looks from Ducky, Ziva and Jackson, who were witnessing the insanity from the living room windows.

"Damn idiots, both of them," Gibbs grumbled as the toboggan he was piloting slowed to a stop at the bottom of the hill. DJ jumped up and down as Tony ran toward him laughing and declaring himself the winner. He picked DJ up and ran a victory lap around Tim.

Protesting vehemently, Tim demanded a rematch. Tony obliged and trash talked him as they dragged their toboggans back up the hill, leaving Abby and Gibbs both shaking their heads ruefully before following.

Abby and Ryan challenged Gibbs and DJ to a friendly race in what ended up being declared a photo finish. They didn't have to wait long before Tim and Tony appeared as they flew over the crest of the hill and picked up speed as it steepened. They were neck and neck most of the way until Tim caught too much air going over a large bump giving Tony the win. Abby insisted that in all fairness, "Timmy should at least get style points for his rad hang time".

After a few more runs it was decided that they'd all had enough sledding for one day. The group trudged back up the hill one final time, got the toboggans stored, and headed for the house.

Ryan laughed and was declaring that he'd had "more fun than a tornado in a trailer park" just as a snowball hit him squarely in the back of the head.

"Hey!" he cried out. When he spun around ready to retaliate he found Tony and Gibbs standing proudly next to their son, who was packing another snowball in his little hands and glaring at Ryan.

Tim ran past his partner and yelled, "I told you," before diving for cover behind a hedge.

A brief but intense snowball fight ensued, and DJ proved to have a damn good arm for a three-year old. Tony and Gibbs hastily made a pile of small well-packed snowballs for him and he picked off his targets one by one as they tried to find cover from the onslaught.

"Okay, call me General Lee cuz I surrender," Ryan announced with a laugh as he emerged from behind a large evergreen bush with his hands up. A low-five with the smirking victor brought the battle to an end.

Abby playfully suggested building a snowman, but DJ shook his head and declared dramatically, "But my finners and toesies is fwozen."

Ryan earned a stinging head slap from Gibbs when he countered with, "I'm with Little Dude! I'm shivering like a puppy shitting peach seeds." The snowman would have to wait until another day.

* * *

Gibbs scooped a giggling DJ up and carried him over his shoulder up the steps and into the house. Working together it only took him and Tony a few minutes to remove all but the long underwear layer and one pair of socks. Once he was free, DJ scampered over to the couch and managed to launch himself so that he landed cuddled up against Ziva's side.

She smiled affectionately down at him as he rambled on in toddler speak about their adventures in the snow then proceeded to stick a sock-covered foot up near her face so she could feel his frozen toes. She pulled a woven throw from the back of the couch and covered his legs and torso before taking a tiny foot in each hand and gently rubbing them until the warmth returned.

Ryan appeared a few minutes later with a couple of mugs of hot cocoa with little marshmallows floating on top. DJ squealed with delight and reached out ready to snatch the smaller mug.

"Whoa! Careful there little man. Better sit up and use two hands," Ryan warned.

DJ nodded then sat up with his legs dangling off of the couch. He carefully took the mug in his hands then blew across it like his Paka had taught him.

"Paka says to bwow the hot away, wike dis," DJ instructed before demonstrating. After taking a tentative sip he looked up and smirked triumphantly at Ryan wearing a sticky, chocolaty moustache. Ziva has turned down Ryan's offer of the other mug, so he saluted DJ and took a drink, promptly burning his tongue in the process.

As the afternoon wore on the house became filled with the pleasant aroma of fresh baked cookies. Ziva, with a little help from Abby, baked a batch of good old-fashioned oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Ducky rolled out Scottish shortbread and enlisted DJ's help with the cookie cutters, while Jackson whipped up a batch of Snicker Doodles, which had always been Gibbs' favorite when he was a kid.

When the activity in the kitchen wound down, Ryan, Gibbs, Ducky, and Abby broke out a deck of cards and played Euchre while the rest settled in to watch the Sun Bowl on the big screen. DJ sat between his Paka and Tony and yelled "Go go go!" on every play regardless of which team had the ball.

By half time DJ's sugar buzz from sampling cookies and eating frosting wore off and the inevitable crash set in. He climbed into his daddy's lap clutching his beloved blanket and began rubbing his eyes. Tony kissed the top of his head rocked him until he fell asleep.

Tony's attention soon turned from the blow out football game to Tim and Ziva cuddled up on the loveseat to his right. It struck him that for the first time in a very long time they acted and looked genuinely content, relaxed, and happy. It was a welcome sight, though his gut told him that something was going on. He just hoped that Tim would keep his promise and tell him what it was.

Afternoon morphed into evening as the sun set behind the tall pines. Any evidence of the mornings sledding and snowball skirmish was thoroughly covered by nearly a foot of fresh snow. Landscape lighting around the perimeter of the house that had not been drifted over made the snow twinkle as is blew around in a light wind.

After dinner Gibbs found Tony looking out the windows and staring off into the distance with a worried look on his face. He bumped shoulders with him to get his attention. Tony turned and cracked a sad smile.

"Something wrong, Tony," Gibbs asked as he put an arm around Tony's waist.

"Just thinking," he replied before turning and jerking his head in the direction of Tim and Ziva sitting on the hearth in front of a roaring fire, deep in conversation. "There's something going on with Ziva, but McGee wouldn't tell me earlier. Says it's nothing bad and he'll tell me later. Guess I'm just worried. They've had a rough year," he finished with a sigh.

Gibbs nodded in response and frowned. "Yeah, they sure have."

_FLASHBACK:_

_Ziva David became Ziva McGee on April 24th. Gibbs had been honored to take Eli's place as father of the bride and give her away. Tony served as Tim's Best Man and Abby stood as Ziva's Maid of Honor. Ryan and Tim's sister Sarah completed the wedding party. It was a non-denominational ceremony held at Ducky's house in Reston. It was a small intimate gathering, which is exactly what the young couple wanted. Both of them were strong in their individual faiths, but neither of them required their religion to officially sanction their marriage. Sister Rosita and DJ's nanny, Sister Kate, were there merely as friends to show their support and to bless their union._

_Ziva had turned to Kate in a moment of deep despair and over the course of the last year they had become close friends. Kate played a pivotal role in helping Ziva deal with the news that she could not bear children because of the horrible abuse she suffered while held captive in Somalia. Despite Tim's protests to the contrary, Ziva was sure that he would regret wanting to marry a woman who could not bear his children._

_After praying over an idea for several weeks and securing Tony and Gibbs' blessing, Kate went to Tim and Ziva a couple of weeks before their wedding and offered to serve as a surrogate, if it be God's will. The selfless act may have flown in the face of conventional Catholic practices, but Sister Rosita sanctioned it and provided her personal brand of spiritual counsel. Naturally, Tim and Ziva were both stunned to the core by Kate's unexpected offer. Surrogacy had never crossed Tim's mind, and he was going to need some time to get his head around the idea._

_After they returned from a week-long honeymoon in Jamaica, Ducky broke some rather surprising news to the young couple. He had run into an old medical school friend at a local conference, Dr. Seamus T. Millsbury, a Gynecologist and surgeon, who had developed a procedure that could possibly repair Ziva's scarred and damaged womb. The type of damage done to her was widely thought to be irreparable, but Dr. Millsbury's work was showing great promise. Ducky insisted that any risk would be worth the reward, but warned that there were no guarantees of a successful outcome. Ziva did not hesitate and wanted to proceed as soon as possible. Tim did not want Ziva to get her hopes up, but she begged and cried while declaring that any chance to give him a child was all she wanted._

_With the assistance of Dr. Brad Pitt and the head of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ducky managed to charm the Board of Trustees at Bethesda into offering Dr. Millsbury visiting physician privileges. One month later Ziva had the surgery, and the waiting game began. A couple of false positive pregnancy tests had left her depressed and feeling like a failure, and it caused a rift between her and Tim. They decided to get professional counseling before considering taking Sister Kate up on her generous offer._

_END FLASHBACK_

Tony and Gibbs were brought out of their thoughts when Tim muted the TV and asked for everyone's attention. He and Ziva stood before their family holding hands and trading looks of pure adoration. After taking a deep breath and getting an affirmative nod from Ziva, Tim cleared his throat. His mind went blank as the speech he had practiced suddenly escaped him. With a shrug and a laugh he blurted out, "Um, we're having a baby!"

A nanosecond later a squealing Abby had the parents-to-be in a vice-like hug. Tony decided to break out the champagne a bit early to make a toast. He enlisted Ryan's help to pop a few corks and Abby stepped in to deliver cut crystal flutes to everyone.

"That is wonderful news my dear young friends," Ducky declared proudly as he returned from the kitchen with a filled champagne flute and DJ's sippy cup. "No bubbly for you my dear Ziva, but sparkling pear juice will serve just as well in its place." He handed Ziva the flute and got a kiss on the cheek in return.

Tears sprang to her eyes as Ziva said softly, "It is all thanks to you, Ducky."

Ducky patted her cheek then turned his attention to DJ, who was tugging on his pant leg with one hand and reaching for his sippy cup with the other. "And for you Master Dominic," Ducky said as he handed the cup to DJ and affectionately ruffled his hair.

A misty-eyed Jackson raised his glass with a shaky hand and spoke from the heart. "To Tim and Ziva! By the will of God you have been blessed with a miracle, and all of our prayers have finally been answered. Congratulations, and God bless you!"

"Cheers!" DJ shouted to complete the toast as he raised his sippy cup above his head. Tony had just taken a sip and nearly blew champagne out of his nose trying not to laugh. Gibbs helpfully patted him on the back and snickered.

Tony walked over and pulled Tim into a brotherly hug and declared, "Best news ever! I'm so happy for you, man." He released a choked up Tim and turned his attention to Ziva. "I know these last several months have been hell, but you did it. You're gonna be a mom, and a great one too." In Tony's eyes she never looked as beautiful as she did that moment.

"Thank you, Tony," she said sincerely as she was pulled into a hug.

Jackson shuffled over and surprised Tim by hugging him for all he was worth. "I'm proud of you, son. You are going to be a great father, and I have no doubt that your beautiful Ziva will be a wonderful mother.

"Thank you, Jack," Tim replied with overwhelming emotion creeping into his voice.

DJ quickly grew bored with all the hugging and crying, so he pulled out some of his toys and got his Paka to join him on the floor while Ziva and Tim were peppered with questions. When are you due? My dear, who may I ask is your Obstetrician? Do you want a boy or a girl? Oh my gosh, what if you have twins – or triplets? Hey, you got that thing where you're puking all the time?

Chuckling, Ziva held up a hand to stop the rapid fire interrogation. "Dr. Malloy, my Obstetrician, says the baby should arrive late June - if all goes well. Whether we have a boy or a girl it does not matter. We just want a healthy child. Abby, we know it is not twins or triplets, and yes, Ryan, I do puke all the time."

Ryan shuddered then followed up with, "Y'all settled on names for the critter yet?"

Tim replied with a snort, "Actually, we have. Netanya Kathryn if it's a girl, and Jonathan Anthony if it's a boy. Both names mean 'gift from God' in Hebrew."

Even though he was touched by the use of his name, Tony broke out laughing. "McGee, I'm honored and all man, but c'mon - you cannot use Anthony for his middle name. I mean, think about it. His initials would be JAM!" He only snapped out the ensuing giggles when Gibbs smacked the back of his head.

Gibbs smirked at Tony's glare. "What? I made sure DJ wasn't looking."

Try as he might, DJ's plan to ring in the new year fell about two hours short. He cried nearly to the point of having a full-blown tantrum when Gibbs picked him up to take him up to bed.

Ryan jumped up to help defuse the situation as DJ fought and struggled against Gibbs' firm hold on him. Leaning in to make eye contact he said, "Hey there little pup, none of that now. Tell you what buddy, first thing tomorrow morning you and me are gonna build that snowman. Okay? We'll make him as tall as your daddy! Maybe we can get your Auntie Abby to help?"

DJ breathing hitched a couple of times and he tiredly wiped his tears away. He nodded but was adamant when he said, "Nuh uh. Jus us guys." Gibbs huffed out a chuckle and nodded his thanks to Ryan.

Ryan stood up and offered his hand to DJ who gave him a bashful high five as he tucked his head under Gibbs' chin. "All righty then Little Dude, just us men folk. We don't need help from no girls anyhow, do we?" Getting a tired giggle from his little friend he said, "Okay. Now you go on and get yourself all tucked in and I'll see you in the mornin'!"

"Nigh nigh, Unca," DJ said around a big yawn.

"Nighty night, kiddo," Ryan answered affectionately.

* * *

 Up much early than planned thanks to a decidedly rejuvenated DJ, Tony and Gibbs decided to prepare a big breakfast. A brief debate broke out over the merits of pancakes versus French toast, with Gibbs eventually winning after agreeing to man the griddle. It wasn't a total loss for Tony since he loved Gibbs' special recipe pancakes that had a hint of cinnamon blended into the batter.

Ryan immediately regretted his snowman building invitation and grumbled about it over a strong cup of coffee while Abby pitched in to get DJ bundled up in his snowsuit. She was about to grab her coat and follow the two of them outside when DJ rounded on her and held out his arms.

"Jus us guys, Auntie," DJ barked before grabbing Ryan's hand and tugging him toward the front door.

Tony broke out laughing when a dejected Abby plopped down on one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. "Well Abs, you're certainly welcome to help me and Gibbs," he offered with a grin.

"Daddy and Daddy, come wookie," DJ called out nearly an hour later.

Tony handed a wooden spoon to Tim and ordered him to keep an eye on the fried potatoes and peppers while Gibbs turned his pancake flipping duties over to Jackson. Abby, Ziva and Ducky followed the two dads to the front door where DJ stood proudly pointing at the massive snowman in the front yard. True to his word, Ryan made sure that it was a little over six feet tall.

"Master Dominic, you did a wonderful job," Ducky praised, getting a beaming toddler smile in return. At Ryan's incredulous look, he cleared his throat and continued, "As did you Ryan my boy!"

Gibbs pulled DJ inside and waved Ryan over to the front door. "Get in here and get some breakfast. You two can finish decorating him later."

After a hearty breakfast, Tony tuned the TV to the "Tournament of Roses" parade. DJ plopped down on the couch between his grandpas, and mesmerized by the pageantry commented excitedly on each float as it appeared in all its high-definition glory on the screen.

Cards and board games were brought out during the lazy afternoon to pass the time until "the big game" came on at 5:00. Tony's alma mater, The Ohio State University, would be facing UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Gibbs took advantage of DJ crashing on the couch, Ducky and Jackson playing chess over snifters of brandy, and Tim, Ziva, Ryan, and Abby seated around the kitchen table playing "Monopoly" to request Tony's help with something upstairs.

Tony wouldn't have thought much about the nod in the direction of the stairs if it hadn't been accompanied by a decided twinkle in Gibbs' eyes. A salacious grin slowly spread across Tony's face as he sauntered over and followed Gibbs up the stairs.

Gibbs grabbed Tony's hand when they reached to the top of the stairs and together they practically ran down the hall to their room. Tony loved when Gibbs got playful like this, though he would have preferred not having seven people downstairs. He was chuckling softly by the time they reached the end of the hall, but one look at Gibbs' completely blown pupils and he immediately sobered.

Tony gasped when Gibbs bolted the door locked then turned and pulled his USMC hoodie and white t-shirt off in one motion, casting them aside in no general direction. The intensity of the lust flashing in Gibbs' almost black eyes made Tony hard as iron painfully fast. He swallowed hard as Gibbs stepped into his personal space, knowing that he was about to be fucked into oblivion.

Any words Tony thought of uttering at that moment were swallowed by a demanding kiss that literally took his breath away as he was backed up against the armoire. He didn't know which way was up as the assault on his senses continued until he felt light headed. Before he could register what was happening, his Ohio State sweatshirt was flung away, the matching sweatpants and his boxer briefs were pooled around his ankles, and Gibbs was swallowing his cock whole.

To hell with what everyone said about "old married couples", because their sex life was as passionate and adventurous as ever, if not more so. Tony had to clamp his own hand over his mouth to keep from shouting out, "Oh sweet Jesus H. Christ!" The loud moan of ecstasy that followed couldn't have been prevented if his life depended on it.

As quickly as the mind melting blow job began it was over. Tony's cock throbbed and was turning an angry shade of purple as Gibbs let it slip from between his lips. Gibbs slowly rose as gracefully as his battle-scarred knees would allow and smirked at Tony.

"Just needed a little taste," he purred.

Tony's own protest at being denied release came out as a disappointed squeak. "Jethro, I need …."

"Oh I know exactly what you need," Gibbs murmured against his lips. "You need to bury that big cock of yours in my ass. I stretched myself earlier and got ready for you. Make love to me, Tony."

Tony's right hand immediately went to his cock and he squeezed the base hard to keep from coming right then and there. He stepped out of the sweats and underwear at his feet and with a hand firmly in the middle of Gibbs' chest gently backed him up until the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed. Gibbs smiled and made short work of shimmying out of his jeans and underwear as he lay on his back in the middle of the bed.

Tony planted a hand on each side of Gibbs' head and took advantage of his position to plunder his mouth with a long, slow, deep, wet kiss that made their toes curl. Breaking the kiss and panting for air, Tony looked down into a pair of adoring blue eyes and saw the love and trust that had replaced the unbridled lust of several minutes ago.

He lowered himself down to peck Gibbs' swollen lips then whispered huskily in his ear, "On your hands and knees, Marine."

Gibbs got into position, and just as he felt the tip of Tony's cock nudging at his entrance he glanced back over his shoulder and quietly begged, "Hard and fast Tony, please?"

An hour later they padded back down the stairs fully sated and freshly showered. Four pairs of eyes with accompanying raised eyebrows looked up from the "Monopoly" board and four identical knowing smirks told them that they were truly busted. Gibbs ignored the accusing looks and walked over to the stove to stir the big pot of chili he had put on to simmer right after breakfast, leaving Tony smiling politely and blushing all the way to his roots.

* * *

Jack whipped up a large pan of crackling cornbread to go with the chili, and all of the left over meats, cheeses and veggies were pulled out of the fridge creating an impromptu snack bar. Tony was too excited about the Rose Bowl that he couldn't sit still long enough to eat. He rambled on with stories of his college football glory days that everyone had already heard at least a dozen times.

Ryan, who played football for three years at Alabama, was impressed with Tony's football stats, and they commiserated about losing even the slim chance of turning pro because of injuries. They buddied up for the game and talked trash about UCLA as Ohio State dominated the first half. Ryan pulled Tony aside at half time under the pretense of needing a beer and nervously asked if he had any idea why Gibbs kept glaring and growling at them after every disparaging comment about UCLA. Tony shrugged and swore that he had no idea. The Bruins managed to stage a late comeback but fell short as Ohio State scored a touchdown with just over three minutes left putting the game out of reach. Final score: Ohio State 35, UCLA 21.

Wanting to avoid suffering through what he considered to be excessive post-game coverage and analysis, Gibbs turned the TV over to the local news. Tony whined and pouted a bit, but Gibbs made a valid argument that they needed to know the weather forecast for the drive home the next morning. As luck would have it, the roads leading home were for the most part clear and the next snow storm heading their way was still projected to be 20 to 24 hours away.

Ducky and Jackson were the first to bid good night and turn in. Gibbs had to smile as he watched the two elderly men slowly climb the stairs, Ducky chuckling at something his father said. The unlikely pair had become the best of friends despite the differences in their respective upbringings. Since the death of his mother, Ducky had been adrift until Jackson made the permanent move to D.C. Most of Jackson's friends had either been placed in nursing homes or were buried in the Stillwater First Methodist Church cemetery. Their friendship was forged by chance and grew out of mutual respect.

Tim and Ziva were next, followed by Ryan and Abby. Gibbs was thrilled that his two de facto daughters had finally found happiness with two good men. He knew that Tim would fight like hell to make Ziva happy and had already proven that he meant it when he said "I do" to for better or for worse. Ziva was strong and resilient, but she was now able to let her guard down a bit and let her vulnerabilities show.

Gibbs shook his head as he thought of how Ryan's world got turned upside down in an instant the day he first escorted the new young agent to Abby's lab. They were a wholly unlikely pair - night and day in most respects - but somehow Ryan's laid back, easy going, slow southern sensibilities and Abby's hyper, mystical, free spirit qualities miraculously worked together.

Turning toward an angelic voice across the room, Gibbs stood and watched as Tony and DJ looked out the big windows. Tony was holding a wide-eyed DJ on this hip and smiling as tiny fingers pointed at something on the other side of the glass. Gibbs walked over to join his family and kissed them both on the temple.

"Come on you two, it's getting late and we have a long day tomorrow."

DJ reached for Gibbs, who took him in his arms and hugged him tight.

"We go night night, Daddy?"

"Yep, buddy. Let's go night night."

Tony smiled. "You two go on up. I'll be there in a minute. Just gonna make sure the fire's out."

It was Tony's turn to watch as the center of his world was carried up the stairs by the only true love of his life. He waited until they turned the corner at the top of the stairs before spreading out the waning embers in the fireplace and putting the screen in place. When he reached the stairs, Tony stopped and took a parting glance around the empty room and said a little prayer of thanks before turning out the lights.

Tony stopped outside the bedroom door when he heard the familiar and comforting sound of Gibbs reading DJ his bedtime story. Gibbs reading to him had become part of their nightly routine and was something that Gibbs and DJ both looked forward to. Tony had made a habit of leaning against the wall outside DJ's bedroom door to listen, not wanting to intrude on their father/son moment. When he heard the cliché "and they lived happily ever after" line, Tony pushed the door open and was surprised to find them under the covers with Gibbs leaning against the headboard with DJ cuddled up to his side under a protective arm.

"Did my boys go potty and brush their teeth," Tony asked teasingly in his "silly Daddy" voice.

"Ha ha, Daddy funny. We jus bwushed aw teef. Now you bwush yo teef," he ordered as he patted the empty side of the big bed.

Tony's brilliant smile lit up the room and he made quick work of his nightly ablutions and donned his pajamas in record time. He climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up. "Did you finish your story?"

"Uh huh, an Daddy says I gits to cuddles wif you in da big bed."

Tony turned off the lamp on his nightstand and rolled over until he was nose to tiny nose with DJ. "Okay by me, but if you start snoring I'm kicking you out," he teased with a chuckle before blowing a raspberry on his tummy.

Gibbs snorted out a laugh and turned off his lamp leaving only beams of silvery moonlight casting oddly glowing shadows on the walls.

"Ooooh, pweety," DJ whispered before the first in a series of big yawns.

Despite the precious burden drifting off to sleep between them, Tony was still able to reach across DJ and place his right hand over Gibbs' heart.

"Good night, Jethro. I love you," Tony said sleepily.

"Night, Tony. I love you, too," Gibbs replied around a yawn.

"Wuv you Daddies."


End file.
